Identifying the sex chromosome and sex determination genes in the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus.

Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is globally one of the most economically important ectoparasites of cattle costing the agriculture industry billions of dollars annually. Resistance to chemical control measures has prompted the development of novel methods of control. Recent advancements in genetic control measures for human and other animal vectors have utilized sex determination research to manipulate sex ratios, which have shown promising results in mosquitoes namely Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi.

Transboundary Tick and Tick-Borne Pathogen Threats to Cattle.

Transboundary incursions of ticks and tick-borne pathogens are ever present concerns for US cattle industries. Global trade in livestock and wildlife, historic and emerging transboundary issues with endemic tick populations and pathogens, and migratory bird flyways are pathways of concern. Transboundary challenges are presented for the Asian long-horned tick and Theileria orientalis Ikeda, for 2 cattle fever tick species [Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus and R (B) microplus] and Babesia bigemina and B bovis, and for the tropical bont tick and Ehrlichia ruminantium.

Species identification of adult ixodid ticks by Raman spectroscopy of their feces.

Background: Ticks and tick-borne diseases pose significant challenges to cattle production, thus the species identification of ticks and knowledge on their presence, abundance, and dispersal are necessary for the development of effective control measures. The standard method of inspection for the presence of ticks is the visual and physical examination of restrained animals, but the limitations of human sight and touch can allow larval, nymphal, and unfed adult ticks to remain undetected due to their small size and site of attachment. However, Raman spectroscopy, an analytical tool widely used in agriculture and other sectors, shows promise for the identification of tick species in infested cattle.

Detection of winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus, infestations using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy of bovine feces.

The objective of this study was to determine whether artificial infestations of D. albipictus could be detected in cattle using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy of bovine feces (fNIRS) and if detection capability was sensitive to size of tick infestation and phase of on-host stage-specific tick development. Fecal samples were collected daily from six non-infested then later tick-infested Bos taurus yearling heifers who each served as their own control.

Tularemia cases increase in the USA from 2011 through 2019.

Tularemia is a rare but potentially serious bacterial zoonosis, which has been reported in the 47 contiguous states of the USA during 2001-2010. This report summarizes the passive surveillance data of tularemia cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2011 through 2019. There were 1984 cases reported in the USA during this period.

Modeling Effects of Vertebrate Host Exclosures and Host-Targeted Acaricides on Lone Star Tick (, L.) Infestations.

We used a spatially explicit model to simulate the potential effects of exclosures and acaricides targeted at medium-sized mammalian hosts on the local distribution and abundance of lone star ticks () within forestlands of the southeastern United States. Both exclosures and acaricides were successful in markedly reducing the densities of all off-host tick life stages inside the treatment areas. Densities dropped to almost zero immediately inside the edges of the exclosures, with noticeably depressed densities extending outward 30 to 60 m from the exclosures, and the simulated exclosures maintained their effectiveness as their sizes were decreased from 4.

Amplification and sequencing of entire tick mitochondrial genomes for a phylogenomic analysis.

The mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) has proven to be important for the taxonomy, systematics, and population genetics of ticks. However, current methods to generate mitogenomes can be cost-prohibitive at scale. To address this issue, we developed a cost-effective approach to amplify and sequence the whole mitogenome of individual tick specimens.

Interaction between anti-tick vaccine and a macrocyclic lactone improves acaricidal efficacy against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini) (Acari: Ixodidae) in experimentally infested cattle.

The southern cattle fever tick (SCFT) Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, is considered the most important ectoparasite of livestock in the world because of high financial losses associated with direct feeding and transmission of the hemoparasites Babesia bovis, B. bigemina, and Anaplasma marginale. Unfortunately, SCFT in many parts of the world have evolved resistance to all market-available pesticides thus driving development of new control technologies.

Increasing Incidence of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses in the United States, 2010-2018.

Spotted fever group species are intracellular bacteria transmitted by tick or mite vectors and that cause human diseases referred to as spotted fever group rickettsioses, or spotted fevers. In the United States, the most recognized and commonly reported spotted fevers are Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) (), rickettsiosis, Pacific Coast tick fever ( species 364D), and rickettsialpox (). In this study, we summarize and evaluate surveillance data on spotted fever cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System from 2010 to 2018.

Bovine fecal chemistry changes with progression of Southern Cattle Tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) infestation.

Surveillance for cattle fever ticks is an essential activity in the U.S. Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program which prevents reestablishment of these tick vectors of the pathogens causing bovine babesiosis.

Raman-based identification of tick species (Ixodidae) by spectroscopic analysis of their feces.

Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that vector a large number of pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. There are strong connections between tick and pathogen species. Timely detection of certain tick species on cattle can cease the spread of numerous devastating diseases such as Bovine babiesiosis and anaplasmosis.

Diversity and distribution of the tick-borne relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia turicatae.

Borrelia turicatae is a causative agent of tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) in the subtropics and tropics of the United States and Latin America. Historically, B. turicatae was thought to be maintained in enzootic cycles in rural areas.

Ornithodoros turicata (Dugès) on a Feral Hog in Real County, Texas, USA.

The potential introduction of African swine fever virus (ASFV) into the US has researchers evaluating routes of potential transmission and the establishment of sylvatic cycles. To help document vector-host associations related to ASFV transmission, the finding of O. turicata on a feral hog in Real County, Texas is reported.

A Survey of Tick Surveillance and Control Practices in the United States.

Tickborne diseases are an increasing public health threat in the United States. Prevention and diagnosis of tickborne diseases are improved by access to current and accurate information on where medically important ticks and their associated human and veterinary pathogens are present, their local abundance or prevalence, and when ticks are actively seeking hosts. The true extent of tick and tickborne pathogen expansion is poorly defined, in part because of a lack of nationally standardized tick surveillance.

Optimizing long-acting acaricide use for integrated tick management of Rhipicephalus australis-infesting cattle in New Caledonia.

The tick Rhipicephalus australis, formerly known as Rhipicephalus microplus, is the most economically important ectoparasite of livestock in New Caledonia, affecting cattle health and production. Decades of control attempts based on the application of chemical acaricides have exerted a strong selective pressure on R. australis populations, some of which have evolved resistance to these treatments.

Simulated dynamics of southern cattle fever ticks (Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus) in south Texas, USA: investigating potential wildlife-mediated impacts on eradication efforts.

Background: Cattle fever ticks (CFT), Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus and R. (B.) microplus, are vectors of microbes causing bovine babesiosis and pose a threat to the economic viability of the US livestock industry.

Identification of Host Bloodmeal Source in Dugès (Ixodida: Argasidae) Using DNA-Based and Stable Isotope-Based Techniques.

The ecology and host feeding patterns of many soft ticks (Ixodida: Argasidae) remain poorly understood. To address soft tick-host feeding associations, we fed Dugès on multiple host species and evaluated quantitative PCR (qPCR) and stable isotope analyses to identify the vertebrate species used for the bloodmeal. The results showed that a qPCR with host-specific probes for the gene successfully identified bloodmeals from chicken ( L.

Host Bloodmeal Identification in Cave-Dwelling Dugès (Ixodida: Argasidae), Texas, USA.

Tick-host bloodmeal associations are important factors when characterizing risks of associated pathogen transmission and applying appropriate management strategies. Despite their biological importance, comparatively little is known about soft tick (Argasidae) host associations in the United States compared to hard ticks (Ixodidae). In this study, we evaluated a PCR and direct Sanger sequencing method for identifying the bloodmeal hosts of soft ticks.

Raw pacific biosciences and illumina sequencing reads and assembled genome data for the cattle ticks and .

Ticks from the genus have enormous global economic impact as ectoparasites of cattle. and are known to harbor infectious pathogens such as , and . Having reference quality genomes of these ticks would advance research to identify druggable targets for chemical entities with acaricidal activity and refine anti-tick vaccine approaches.

Enhanced biosurveillance of high-consequence invasive pests: southern cattle fever ticks, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, on livestock and wildlife.

Background: Some tick species are invasive and of high consequence to public and veterinary health. Socioeconomic development of rural parts of the USA was enabled partly through the eradication by 1943 of cattle fever ticks (CFT, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus and R. (B.

Corrigendum: Differential Expression of Putative Defensins Mediated by Tick Feeding.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.